The present invention relates to a transparent electroconductive film having a polymer film and a transparent electroconductive thin film formed thereon.
A resistive film-type touch panel is widely used as an input unit for a household appliance or a portable terminal. When a user pushes a part of the touch panel or draws with a specialized pen on a part of the touch panel, the part comes into contact with an opposing electrode, so that the portion and the electrode are electrically connected and a signal is inputted.
A typical resistive film-type touch panel has a lower electrode 3xe2x80x2 made up of a transparent electroconductive thin film 2xe2x80x2 laminated on a glass plate 1xe2x80x2, an upper electrode 6xe2x80x2 made up of a transparent electroconductive thin film 5xe2x80x2 formed on a polymer film 4xe2x80x2, and spacers 7xe2x80x2 interposed between the transparent electroconductive thin films 2xe2x80x2 and 5xe2x80x2 as shown in FIG. 2. Pressing the display surface of the upper electrode 6xe2x80x2 with a finger or a pen makes the upper electrode 6xe2x80x2 and the lower electrode 3xe2x80x2 into contact with each other, so that these electrodes are electrically connected and a signal is outputted. The front of the upper electrode 6xe2x80x2 is overlaid with a hard-coating layer 8xe2x80x2 for protecting the polymer film 4xe2x80x2.
It is necessary for the touch panel 6xe2x80x2 to have good resistance to scuffing, because the touch surface on the upper electrode 6xe2x80x2 is often pressed and rubbed with a finger or pen. It is necessary for the upper electrode 6xe2x80x2 to spring back after the upper electrode 6xe2x80x2 is pressed and rubbed with a finger or pen so as to come into contact with the lower electrode 3xe2x80x2.
A front panel of a PDP (plasma display panel) is required to have anti-reflecting properties, heat ray reflecting properties (near infrared blocking capability), and electromagnetic wave shielding capability. A front panel overlaid with a multi-lamination film having layers of metal compound such as ITO (indium tin oxide) and layers of electrically conductive metal such as Ag which are formed alternately on a PET film has the heat ray reflecting properties and the electromagnetic wave shielding capability.
The laminated layers are formed by sputtering process, vacuum spraying process, ion plating process, CVD process or the like.
A transparent electroconductive film of the first aspect of the invention has a polymer film, a primary layer formed on the polymer film, and a transparent electroconductive thin film laminated on the primary layer.
The primary layer bonds the transparent electroconductive thin film to the polymer film and provides good resistance to scuffing for the transparent electroconductive film. The primary layer prevents gas generation from the polymer film during the formation of the transparent electroconductive film, whereby the transparent electroconductive film adheres firmly to the polymer film.
A transparent electroconductive film of the second aspect of the invention has a polymer film, a primary layer formed on the polymer film and a multi-lamination film composed of layers of metal compound and layers of electroconductive metal, which are formed on the primary layer.
The primary layer improves the adhesion value of the multi-lamination film and prevents peeling of the multi-lamination film. The primary layer on the polymer film prevents gas generation from the polymer film while the multi-lamination film is being formed on the primary layer, whereby the multi-lamination film properly adheres to the polymer film.
The primary layer improves the strength of the transparent electroconductive film.
According to the third aspect of the invention, there will be provided a method for manufacturing a transparent electroconductive film of the present invention having a primary layer made of silicon compound. The method has a process for forming the primary layer by coating the polymer film with the silicon compound or a liquid substance including the silicon compound.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, there will be provided a method for manufacturing a transparent electroconductive film of the present invention having a primary layer made of silicon compound. The method has a process for forming the primary layer by adhering the silicon compound to the surface of the polymer film by a physical depositing method such as vacuum spraying method, sputtering method and ion plating method, or by a chemical depositing method such as CVD method.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, there will be provided a method for manufacturing a transparent electroconductive film of the present invention having a primary layer made of silicon compound. The method has a process for forming the primary layer by coating the polymer film with ultraviolet curing resin including particles composed of one or more types of silicon compound selected from the group consisting of SiCx, SiOx, SiNx, SiCxOy, SiCxNy, SiOxNy and SiCxOyNz.
A touch panel of the present invention is equipped with the aforementioned transparent electroconductive film.
According to the sixth aspect, there will be provided a method for manufacturing a transparent electroconductive film of the present invention having a primary layer made of silicon composed. The method has a process for forming the primary layer by coating the polymer film with the silicon compound or a liquid substance including the silicon compound.
According to the seventh aspect, there will be provided a method for manufacturing a transparent electroconductive film of the present invention comprising a primary layer made of silicon compound, which includes a process for forming the primary layer by adhering said silicon compound to the surface of the polymer film by a physical depositing method such as vacuum spraying method, sputtering method and ion plating method, or by a chemical depositing method such as CVD method.